Syracuse Common Council approves more foreclosures

Syracuse Common Councilors have agreed to begin foreclosure proceedings on more than two dozen addition tax delinquent properties, that will be turned over to the land bank. This is the third round of foreclosure decisions by lawmakers in the last month. But, there is an end game in sight.

At the start of this process, there were 3,200 properties that had such big back tax bills they could be seized by the city for the land bank. That was because for years the city of Syracuse ignored those growing delinquent tax bills. Once this backlog is cleared, Syracuse's Commissioner of Neighborhoods and Business Development Paul Driscoll says there won't be so many properties up for review.

"Once we get through these 32-hudnred properties, which we think will take about three years, then the rate of this happening will be very much reduced. People won't be allowed to get so far behind. You'll get a notice immediately after two years, that you're behind in your taxes and you should pay up right now," said Driscoll. "There should be less than a hundred and I'm not even saying 100 seizures, just a hundred properties brought to council to be considered to go into the land bank."

Once the land bank takes possession of the properties, they either manage them or put them into the hands of new owners. Already the process of cracking down on delinquent taxpayers has netted the city $2 million dollars in extra tax revenue.